I have many interests, so this is going to be a blog on lots of subjects. Submarines, my family, history, books I read, the space programme, archaeology, astronomy, current events, the occasional joke.... Just don't expect any politics, sports or deep philosophy, and we should get along fine.

1841: Lt Charles Wilkes, commander of the United States Exploring Expedition, landed at Fort Nisqually, in Puget Sound.

1857: Mutineers attempted to seize the magazine in the city of Delhi. Defenders held the enemy off for five hours, but blew up the magazine, to deny the enemy the use of the weapons and ammunition stored there, when it became obvious the mutineers would take the magazine. Six of the nine defenders, along with many mutineers, were killed in the blast; the three survivors - Lieutenants William Raynor and George Forrest, and Deputy Assistant Commissary John Buckley - all received the Victoria Cross. (Lt Raynor is the oldest person to have been awarded the VC.)

1941: A Short Stirling bomber, N3654, from Number 15 Squadron RAF, was shot down near the Dutch village of Opmeer by a German night fighter. The body of the pilot, Wing Commander H R Dale RAF, was recovered and buried in the nearby town of Bergen; the bodies of the rest of the crew were not found.

1943: American troops invaded Attu, in the Aleutian Islands, in an attempt to expel occupying Japanese forces.

1953: 114 people were killed and 597 injured when a tornado hit Waco, Texas.